US Airman Jack Teixeira Faces Air Force Charges for Leaking Classified Documents

Jack Teixeira, a US airman who pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for leaking highly classified military documents, now faces separate charges in the military justice system. Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, admitted to illegally collecting and sharing sensitive information about the war in Ukraine and other national security secrets with users on the social media platform Discord.

The Air Force is pursuing charges against Teixeira for allegedly failing to obey an order to stop accessing information that did not pertain to his duties, and seeking to obstruct justice by personally disposing of an iPad, hard drive and phone and directing another person to delete Discord messages. Teixeira will face a military proceeding on May 14, 2024 at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts, where a neutral officer will examine the evidence to determine if the charges should be referred to a court-martial.

In federal court, Teixeira pleaded guilty in March 2023 to six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information under the Espionage Act. As part of the plea deal, he accepted a prison sentence of 16 years. Prosecutors described the leak as the most damaging disclosure of U.S. classified information in a decade.

Why this matters: The stunning security breach raised alarm over America's ability to protect its most closely guarded secrets and forced the Biden administration to scramble to contain diplomatic and military fallout. The leaked documents exposed unvarnished secret assessments of Russia's war in Ukraine, including information about troop movements and the provision of supplies and equipment to Ukrainian troops.

The Air Force has also disciplined 15 individuals who "intentionally failed" to report documented concerns about Teixeira's behavior preceding the leaks, including the commander of Teixeira's unit, who was relieved of his command. If convicted by a military judge or jury, Teixeira could face up to an additional year in prison, forfeiture of pay, and a bad-conduct discharge on top of his federal sentence.

Key Takeaways

• Jack Teixeira pleaded guilty to leaking classified military docs on Discord.
• Teixeira faces additional military charges for disobeying orders and obstruction.
• Teixeira's federal plea deal resulted in a 16-year prison sentence.
• The leaks were described as the most damaging in a decade.
• 15 individuals were disciplined for failing to report concerns about Teixeira.